MEDER electronic
HALL EFFECT
Reed Sensors vs. Hall Effect Sensors
Since their introduction several years ago, the Hall ef-
fect sensor has captured the imagination of design en-
gineers. Generally, it was thought that if its in solid state
that its a more reliable approach, particularly when
comparing it to electromechanical devices.
However, several remarkably interesting advantages
are observed when comparing the reed sensor technol-
ogy to the Hall effect technology.
But first, lets take a closer look at the reed sensor tech-
nology. The key component in the reed sensor is the
reed switch, invented by Western Electric back in the
1940s. The other major component is the magnet or
electro-magnet used to open or close the reed switch.
Over the last sixty years the reed switch has undergone
several improvements, making it more reliable, improv-
ing its quality and reducing its cost. Because of these
dramatic improvements of reed switches, they have be-
come the design-in choice in several critical applications
where quality, reliability and safety are paramount.
Perhaps the most dramatic application and testimony of
the reeds quality and reliability is its use in Automatic
Test Equipment (ATE). Here this technology is used
exclusively. The reed switches are used in reed relays,
switching in the various test configurations for integrat-
ed circuits, ASICs, wafer testing and functional printed
circuit board testing. For these applications up to 20,000
reed relays may be used in one system. Here one re-
lay failure constitutes a 50-ppm failure rate. Therefore
to meet this requirement, the reed relays need to have
quality levels much better than 50-ppm. Heretofore, it
was unheard of to have an electromechanical device
with this quality level. Similarly the same holds true for
several semi conductor devices as well. Once beyond
the initial operational quality testing, the reed relays
then need to perform well over life. Here they have
been proven to out perform all other switching devices.
Because, in many cases the automatic test equipment
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SENSOR vs.
is operated 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to fully
utilize its high capital expense; and therefore, billions
of operations may be required during the reed relays
lifetime.
Another example of its favored use is in air bag sen-
sors, where they have passed the test of time in a cru-
cial safety application. Reed sensors are currently used
in many critical automotive safety equipment (brake
fluid level sensing, etc.), along with many medical appli-
cations including defribulators, cauterizing equipment,
pacemakers and medical electronics where they isolate
small leakage currents.
In both technologies, the sizes are shrinking as is evi-
denced in the enclosed picture.
However, when comparing the reed sensor over a Hall
effect sensor we see several advantages:
1. Cost: Generally the cost of the Hall effect device is
low, but it requires power and circuitry to operate. Also,
its signal output is so low it often times requires ampli-
fication circuitry as well. The net result, the Hall effect
sensor can be considerably more expensive than the
reed sensor.
2. The reed switch has superior isolation from input to
output and across the switch up to 1015 Ohms. This
reduces leakage currents to fempto amps (1015 amps)
levels. On the other hand, Hall effect devices have sub-
micro amp leakage levels. In medical electronic devices
inserted into the human body as probes (invasive use)
or pacemakers its very important not to have any leak-
age current near the heart, where micro-amp and sub-
micro amp currents can alter the hearts key electrical
activity.
3. The reed is hermetically sealed and can therefore
37
 SENSOR vs. HALL EFFECT
operate in almost any environment.
4. The reed has very low on resistance typically as low
as 50 milli ohms, whereas the Hall effect can be in the
hundreds of ohms.
5. The reed can directly switch a host of load ranging
from nano volts to kilovolts, fempto amps to Amps, and
DC to 6 GHz. The Hall effect devices have very limited
ranges of outputs.
6. The reed sensor has a large range of magnetic sen-
sitivities to offer.
7. Reed sensors are not susceptible to E.D.I., where
electrostatic discharge may often times severely dam-
age the Hall effect device.
8. Reed sensors are capable of withstanding much
higher voltages (miniature sizes are rated up to 1000
Volts). Hall effect devises need external circuitry for rat-
ings as high as 100 Volts.
9. The reeds are capable of switching a variety of loads,
where the Hall effect sensor delivers only smaller volt-
ages and currents.
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MEDER electronic
10. The reed sensor is typically tested to withstand a
three-foot drop test, which is comparable to the Hall ef-
fect sensor.
11. Because the reed sensor has no wearing parts, low
level loads (<5V @ 10 mA and below), will operate sat-
isfactorily well into the billions of operations. This rivals
semiconductor MTBF figures.
12. The reed sensor is unaffected by the thermal envi-
ronment, and is typically operated from 50 0C to +150
0C with no special additions, modifications or costs. The
Hall effect sensors have a limited operational range.
There are many very good applications of reed prod-
ucts. Selection of the proper reed in the proper applica-
tion, often time is critical. Some reed/relay companies
are excellent at designing in reeds in critical applica-
tions where quality, reliability and safety are paramount.
Fortunately, MEDER electronic is very much involved
in several of the critical requirements mentioned above
and represents an excellent choice for those critical
safety related applications.
MEDER electronic SENSOR vs. HALL EFFECT
Comparison of Hall Effect Sensors with Reed Sensor

Specifications Hall Effect Sensor Reed Sensor

Input requirements External magnetic Field >15 gauss time External magnet field >5 Gauss time
Sensing distance Up to 20 mm effectively Up to 40 mm effectively
Continuous current > 10 mA, depending
Output requirements None
on sensitivity
Power required all the time Yes No
Voltage regular, constant current source,
hall voltage generator, small-signal
Requirements beyond sensing device amplifier, chopper stabilization, Schmitt None
trigger, short-circuit protection, external
filter, external switch
Ability to adjust to meet design
Hysteresis Fixed usually around 75%
requirement

Detection circuit required Yes, and generally needs amplification None

Yes, up to 2 A and 1000 V, depending

Ability to switch loads directly No, requires external switching
on the reed selection
Up to 1000 W, depending on switch
Output switching power Low milliwatts
selection
Voltage switching range Requires external switch 0 to 200 V (1000 V available)
Current switching range Requires external switch 0 to 2 A
Output sensitivity to polarity Yes, critical for proper operation No
Yes, exacerbated by sensitivity to
Output offset voltage sensitivity overcoming, temperature dependencies, None
and thermal stress
Yes, helps reduce output offset voltage;
Chopper circuit requirement requires additional external output None
capacitance
Frequency range Requires external switch DC to 6 GHz
Closed output on resistance > 200 Ohm 0.050 Ohm
Expected life switching > 5V@ 10 mA > 1 billion operations > 1 billion operations
Capacitance across output 100 pF typ 0.2 pF typ
Input / Output isolation 1012 Ohm min. 1012 Ohm min.
Isolation across output 106 Ohm min. 1012 Ohm min.
Output dielectric strength < 10 V typ 205 V typ (2500 V available)
EDI (ESD) susceptibility Yes, requires external protection No, requires no external protection
Hermeticitiy No Yes
Shock > 150 g 150 g (new ones up to 5000 g)
Vibration > 50 g 10 g
0 oC bis 70 oC typ above or below range
Operating temperature -55 oC to150 oC,no specific degradation
degrades specifications
Storage temperature -55 oC to 125 oC -55 oC to 150 oC

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